Isaiah 51
1 [Yahweh says], “You people who desire to act righteously/justly, who want to do what I want you to do, listen to me! Think about Abraham! [It is as though] [MET] he was a huge rock cliff; and when you [people of Israel became a nation], [it was as though] [MET] you were cut from that rock [DOU].
| שמעו אלי רדפי צדק מבקשי יהוה הביטו אל צור חצבתם ואל מקבת בור נקרתם |
2 Think about your ancestor Abraham and [his wife] Sarah, of whom [all of] you are descendants. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But after I blessed him, he had a huge number of descendants.
| הביטו אל אברהם אביכם ואל שרה תחוללכם כי אחד קראתיו ואברכהו וארבהו |
3 [Some day I], Yahweh, will encourage his descendants [again], and I will comfort all [the people who live in] the ruins [of Jerusalem]. The desert in that area will become like Eden, like the garden that I, Yahweh, [made/planted]. All the people there will be joyful and happy; they will thank me and sing.
| כי נחם יהוה ציון נחם כל חרבתיה וישם מדברה כעדן וערבתה כגן יהוה ששון ושמחה ימצא בה תודה וקול זמרה |
4 My people of Judah, listen carefully [DOU] to me, because [I want you to] proclaim my laws; the just/right things that I do will be [like] [MET] a light for the people of the nations.
| הקשיבו אלי עמי ולאומי אלי האזינו כי תורה מאתי תצא ומשפטי לאור עמים ארגיע |
5 I will soon/quickly rescue you [DOU]; by my power [MTY] I will bring you back [from being exiled in Babylonia] [DOU]. The people who live on islands in the ocean will wait for me [to help them], confidently expecting for me to use my power [MTY].
| קרוב צדקי יצא ישעי וזרעי עמים ישפטו אלי איים יקוו ואל זרעי ייחלון |
6 Look up at the sky, and look at the earth, [and see what they are like now], because [some day] the sky will disappear like [SIM] smoke, and the earth will wear out like [SIM] old clothes wear out, and people on the earth will die like gnats/flies. But I will rescue/save you, and you will remain free forever, and I will rule you righteously/fairly forever.
| שאו לשמים עיניכם והביטו אל הארץ מתחת כי שמים כעשן נמלחו והארץ כבגד תבלה--וישביה כמו כן ימותון וישועתי לעולם תהיה וצדקתי לא תחת |
7 You people who know what things are right to do, and who know in your inner beings [what is written in] my laws, listen to me! Do not be afraid of people who taunt/insult you; do not be disturbed/upset when people revile you,
| שמעו אלי ידעי צדק עם תורתי בלבם אל תיראו חרפת אנוש ומגדפתם אל תחתו |
8 because [some day they will be destroyed] like [MET] clothing that is eaten by ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches), like wool garments that have been eaten by worms. I will save you people, and you will be saved forever.”
| כי כבגד יאכלם עש וכצמר יאכלם סס וצדקתי לעולם תהיה וישועתי לדור דורים |
9 Yahweh, wake up [and do something for us]! Show your power! Do mighty things like you did long ago, when you stabbed [RHQ] that sea monster/dragon Rahab and cut it into pieces.
| עורי עורי לבשי עז זרוע יהוה--עורי כימי קדם דרות עולמים הלוא את היא המחצבת רהב מחוללת תנין |
10 Surely you are [RHQ] the one who caused the [Red] Sea to become dry and made a path through that deep water in order that your people could cross it!
| הלוא את היא המחרבת ים מי תהום רבה השמה מעמקי ים--דרך לעבר גאולים |
11 And those whom Yahweh will rescue [from being exiled in Babylonia] will [similarly] return to Jerusalem, singing. Their being joyful forever will be [like] [MET] a crown on their heads. They will not be sad or mourn any more; they will be [completely] joyful and happy.
| ופדויי יהוה ישובון ובאו ציון ברנה ושמחת עולם על ראשם ששון ושמחה ישיגון נסו יגון ואנחה |
12 [Yahweh says], “I am the one who encourages you. So (why are you/you should not be) [RHQ] afraid of humans who will [wither and disappear like] [MET] grass.
| אנכי אנכי הוא מנחמכם מי את ותיראי מאנוש ימות ומבן אדם חציר ינתן |
13 (Why have you/You should not have) [RHQ] forgotten [me], Yahweh, the one who created your nation, the one who stretched out the sky and laid the foundations of the earth. (Why are you/You should not be) [RHQ] continually afraid of those who are angry with you and (oppress you/treat you cruelly) and want to get rid of you. [You should not be afraid of them now], because those angry people have now disappeared!
| ותשכח יהוה עשך נוטה שמים ויסד ארץ ותפחד תמיד כל היום מפני חמת המציק כאשר כונן להשחית ואיה חמת המציק |
14 Soon you people who have been caused to be slaves [in Babylonia] will be freed! You will not remain in prison, and you will not die of hunger,
| מהר צעה להפתח ולא ימות לשחת ולא יחסר לחמו |
15 because I am Yahweh, your God, the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; I am the Commander of the armies of angels!
| ואנכי יהוה אלהיך רגע הים ויהמו גליו יהוה צבאות שמו |
16 I have given you my message [MTY] to proclaim, and I have protected you with my hand [MTY]. I stretched out the sky and laid the foundation of the earth. And I am the one who says to you Israeli people, ‘You are my people!’”
| ואשם דברי בפיך ובצל ידי כסיתיך לנטע שמים וליסד ארץ ולאמר לציון עמי אתה |
17 [You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, wake up [DOU]! You have experienced Yahweh severely punishing [MTY] you. Yahweh has caused you to suffer much, all that he wanted you to suffer, like [MET] someone who causes another person to suffer by forcing him to drink every drop of [MTY] a cupful of bitter liquid.
| התעוררי התעוררי קומי ירושלם אשר שתית מיד יהוה את כוס חמתו את קבעת כוס התרעלה שתית--מצית |
18 [Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.
| אין מנהל לה מכל בנים ילדה ואין מחזיק בידה מכל בנים גדלה |
19 You have experienced several disasters: Your country has become desolate/deserted; [your cities have been] destroyed; [many people have] died from hunger; [many people have been] killed by your enemies’ swords. Now, there is no one [RHQ] left to console/comfort you and sympathize with you.
| שתים הנה קראתיך מי ינוד לך השד והשבר והרעב והחרב מי אנחמך |
20 Your children have fainted and lie in the streets; they are [as helpless as] [SIM] an antelope [that has been caught] in a net. What has happened to them is because Yahweh has been very angry with them; he has rebuked them severely.
| בניך עלפו שכבו בראש כל חוצות--כתוא מכמר המלאים חמת יהוה גערת אלהיך |
21 So now, you people who have suffered much, [you act as though] you are drunk, but it is not because you have drunk a lot of wine.
| לכן שמעי נא זאת עניה ושכרת ולא מיין |
22 Yahweh, your Lord and your God, the one who argues/pleads your case, says this: “Note this: [It is as though] [MET] I have taken that cup of bitter liquid from your hands; I will not be angry with you and cause you to suffer any more.
| כה אמר אדניך יהוה ואלהיך יריב עמו הנה לקחתי מידך את כוס התרעלה--את קבעת כוס חמתי לא תוסיפי לשתותה עוד |
23 Instead, I will cause those who have tormented you to suffer; [I will severely punish] those who said to you, ‘Prostrate yourselves in order that we may walk on you; [lie down on your stomachs] in order that your backs will be like [SIM] streets that we can walk on.’”
| ושמתיה ביד מוגיך אשר אמרו לנפשך שחי ונעברה ותשימי כארץ גוך וכחוץ לעברים |
